Rockets and Poisons
Ten days ago, the Kremlin leader sought to frighten the West with his new “super weapons” and his preparedness for nuclear war, Eidman says. Now, he “is frightening it with a mass poisoning in the center of Britain. All these things are links in one chain,” are of his effort to “hit at sanctions with rockets and poisons.” __ Igor Eidman via WOE2
We Were Warned 20 Years Ago
Chemical and biological weapons are more economical weapons of mass destruction than advanced nuclear weapons. And despite clear violations of multiple international treaties, Russia has apparently forged ahead in developing advanced lethal forms of chemical and biological warfare agents, along with advanced weapons delivery systems.
Regarding genetically engineered bio-weapons:
A defector from the former Soviet biological weapons program said in an interview today [FEB. 25, 1998] that Moscow’s cold war plans for World War III included preparing ”hundreds of tons” of anthrax bacteria and scores of tons of smallpox and plague viruses. __ NYT 25 Feb 1998
The development of more advanced chemical weapons has been stepped up by the Russian government in the past 10 years, along with the long-running gene-engineering bioweapons programs.
Since the start of Putin’s second term, a construction boom has been underway at more than two dozen institutes that were once part of the Soviet Union’s biological and chemical weapons establishment, according to Russian documents and photos compiled by independent researchers. That expansion, which includes multiple new or refurbished testing facilities, is particularly apparent at secret Defense Ministry laboratories that have long drawn the suspicions of U.S. officials over possible arms-treaty violations. __ WaPo 18March2018
Poisoning of Russian Double Agent in London Shines a Light
Russian nerve toxin “Novichok” was used against a former Russian spy in London recently. Repercussions from the incident are exploding across the WMD world, bringing unwanted attention once again to Russia’s rogue chemical and biological warfare programmes.
The UK Foreign Minister is claiming that Russia stockpiled large quantities of the Novichok agent, likely in preparation for attacks of an unknown nature. Since the Russians are denying any knowledge of Novichok, it looks as if the Kremlin has resurrected their old cold war playbook of “offend and deny.” The big lie, in other words.
Russian Novichok Nerve Agent
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-43377698
One of the group of chemicals known as Novichoks – A-230 – is reportedly five to eight times more toxic than VX nerve agent.
“This is a more dangerous and sophisticated agent than sarin or VX and is harder to identify,” says Professor Gary Stephens, a pharmacology expert at the University of Reading. __ http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-43377698
Rather than being an entirely new class of nerve agents, the Russian Novichok agent appears to be a more potent form of the parasympathetic agonist type of established nerve agents.
The Poor Man’s Weapons of Mass Destruction
Russia’s renewed devotion to the advancement of biological and chemical weaponry suggests that the Kremlin knows that it cannot economically maintain its nuclear threat to the previous levels as were maintained under the USSR. Saber rattlers in the new Russia must rely on a combination of vapourware, propaganda, an ageing nuclear arsenal, and budget-oriented chemical and biological weapons of mass destruction.
Oh, and one more thing. Cats’ paw proxy nuclear powers such as North Korea, Iran, and others to be announced, provide both Russia and China a level of “plausible deniability” in the case of a convenient crisis that suits their purposes. “Plausible” is in quotes, given the all too visible support provided by Russia and China to these rogue nuclear powers.
Hope for the best. Prepare for the worst. The centres of release for chemical and biological massive scale weapons delivery systems would likely be large cities and strategic sites. A rogue nuclear attack by NoKo or Iran would just as likely be of an EMP variety, with most death and damage occurring within and around large cities.
Make your plans and provisions accordingly.
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And so the lost empire recedes ever farther into the dust of history
Twenty years after the Soviet Union collapsed, the Russian population implosion was getting worse. Currently Russia has the 11th largest economy in the world but without more investments (local or foreign) and fewer sanctions the economy will shrink (like the workforce, because couples are not having enough children).
It is not surprising that ethnic Russian birthrates are dropping, since the female cohort of child-bearing years has dropped off a cliff.
al fin next level 